pharmajet®

In the United States alone, it is estimated that up to 800,000 healthcare personnel sustain needlestick injuries each year. The CDC estimates that 40 percent of injuries occur after use and before disposal of sharp devices, 41 percent of injuries occur during use, and 15 percent occur after disposal. Jet injection allows the delivery of medicine using a high-pressure stream of fluid to penetrate the skin without the use of a needle, eliminating the occupational and personal risk associated with traditional injections. The technology has been adapted with varying degrees of success for mass immunization campaigns, military inoculations, and personal treatment in the home.

3rd Stone Design Inc. worked with client PharmaJet® to re-envision their existing product line through the application of human factors, user research, and improved aesthetics. The product concepts developed for PharmaJet addressed ergonomic and interface issues while still considering high throughput objectives, cost constraints, and refined mechanics for smoother triggering and patient experience.

We began our product development effort with user encounter sessions including nurses and public health officials to gather key user insights. From these inputs, we embarked on a full-scoped industrial design effort from concept sketches to product renderings. Following initial concept evaluation, 3-dimensional models were generated in rapid fashion and full-scope engineering for the injector handpiece, syringe cartridge, and reset station was initiated. We then developed and evaluated the working prototypes in tandem with PharmaJet engineers and transferred the specifications for the product in house to be completed within their medical device quality management system. The product concept gave birth to PharmaJet's currently marketed Stratis system which improves vaccine and drug delivery around the world.